God Revealed in Christ

GOLDEN TEXT: “These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” —John 20:31

JOHN 1:14-23, 29, 36

THIS is the first of a series of lessons based upon the Gospel of John. Its caption, “God Revealed in Christ,” expresses essentially the same meaning as Jesus’ statement when he said, “He that bath seen me hath seen the Father.” (John 14:9) However, Jesus did not mean that he was the Father, that in some mysterious fashion the Father and the Son were one in person.

Verse 14 of our lesson states that “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” Who was this “Word”? Verses 1 and 2 of the chapter furnish this information, although the real thought is hidden by the King James translation, which says that the “Word was with God,” and that the “Word was God.” A critical examination of the Greek text from which this translation was made reveals that what John really wrote was that the “Word” was “a” god, who in the beginning was with “the” God.

This makes the matter understandable, and it is in harmony with the remainder of the chapter, which presents the “Word” who was “made flesh” as the Son of God, and thus a separate personality from the Heavenly Father. The chapter reveals that the Son of God, the “Word”—in the Greek, Logos—was used by the Heavenly Father in connection with all the work of creation. This gives meaning to the statement in Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image.” Here the Creator is addressing his Son—let “us” make man, etc.

It was this beloved, and only begotten Son of God who came to earth to be the Redeemer and Savior of the sin-cursed and dying human race. He was “made flesh.” He did not merely appear in a body of flesh. The Apostle Paul explains this, saying, “Wherefore when he [Christ] cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.”—Heb.10:5

In Hebrews 2:14 the apostle explains the purpose of this: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”—Heb. 2:14

The plan of redemption through Christ is one of substitution. Adam was a perfect human being, created in the “image of God.” He sinned, and as a result, lost life. Jesus was born into the world as a perfect human being, also in the image of God, and as such became a corresponding price for Adam and for the unborn race in his loins.

John wrote concerning Jesus, “We beheld his glory.” Paul later explained that there is a “terrestrial,” or earthly, glory, and a “celestial,” or heavenly glory. (I Cor. 15:40) When Adam was created he was crowned with “terrestrial” or earthly glory. (Ps. 8:5) Jesus was also “crowned with glory and honor,” Paul explains, “that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”—Heb. 2:9

Moses prophesied that One greater than he would be raised up by the Lord, One referred to as “that prophet.” (Deut. 18:18,19; Acts 3:22,23) Various prophets of the Old Testament pointed forward to the coming of Christ, the Messiah; and Malachi foretold the coming of “Elijah,” to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children a work of reconciliation.—Mal. 4:5,6

Priests and Levites were sent to John the Baptist to inquire if he claimed to be any of these prophetic personages. He made no such claim, but emphasized that his role in the divine plan was merely to announce the presence of the Christ, the “Lamb of God.” The Scriptures indicate that the work of “that prophet,” and also of the promised “Elijah,” will be accomplished through Christ, during the thousand years of his kingdom.

The Apostle Peter describes the work of Christ during his second presence as being one of “restitution,” spoken by all God’s prophets. Then he cites as an example of the prophetic testimony concerning this kingdom work, the prophecy of Moses concerning “that prophet.” (Acts 3:19-23; Deut. 18:18,19) And it will be during that same kingdom period that the foretold work of reformation will be accomplished, when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father.—Phil. 2:9-11

QUESTIONS

In what manner was the Heavenly Father revealed through the “man Christ Jesus”?

Who was the “Word” which was “made flesh,” and how is this revealed in John 1:1,2?

Why is the plural pronoun “us” used in the statement, “Let us make man in our image”?

What is the difference between being “made flesh” and becoming incarnate in flesh? Which was true in the case of Jesus?

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be “made flesh”?

What glory does John refer to in the statement, “We beheld his glory”?

When will the work of “that prophet” and of the foretold “Elijah” be fully accomplished?

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